Bed table and bookholder



Oct. 18, 1949.

A. G. BL U'MENSTOCK BED TABLE AND BOOK HOLDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1947 Inventor Albert 6. Blumenstock Oct. 18, 1949. A. G. BLUMENSTOCK BED TABLE AND BOOK HOLDER 3 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1947 'IIIIIIII/ and 406: Wanda; fi aagfg Oct. 18, 1949. -A. G. BLUMENSTOCK BED TABLE AND BOOK HOLDER I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 12, 1947 lure/liar Alberf G. Blumensfock By QM m M I I I 7 W {tor/lays Patented Get. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BED TABLE AND BOOKHOLDER Albert G. Blumenstock, South Orange, N. J.

Application February 12, 1947, Serial No. 728,137

2 Claims. (01. 45-451) This invention relates generally to holding devices. and more particularly to a bed tableand book holder combination for the use of convalescents, and comprising a table member equipped with novel book holding devices and supported over the bed by means allowing adjustment thereof to any desired angle, the table member being rotatably mounted and having a plain surface on one side providing a utility table for use as a writing surface and for supporting game apparatus and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which can be made light in weight and yet sufficiently sturdy and stable so that the device is convenient and safe to use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a support for reading matter which is very versatile and may be used to support books of various sizes, as well as magazines and newspapers, and which will hold this reading matter in an approved manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a. device of this character which can be easily cleaned and sterilized.

The last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a combination of this character which is relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, extremely simple and convenient to use under varied conditions, and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitel in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of th assembled device, secured to an upper portion of the head of a bedstead, the U-frame and the table member bein turned parallel to the supporting arm to facilitate the illustration of the construction and arrangement of the different elements of this invention;

, Figure 2 is an enlarged detail fragmentary view of the friction bearings used to support the table, the view being largely in elevation;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 44 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view of the clips designed to hold the covers or pages of abook placed on the table, and taken on the line 5-5 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the laterally disposed strap members pivotally secured on the table, the view being taken on the line 6 6 in Figure 1;

2 vFigure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, side elevational in character, of the friction bearings and table locking units;

Figure 8 is a vertical cross sectional view of the same structure as that shown in Figure 3, and taken on the line 8-8 in Figure 1;

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view, taken on the line 9--9 in Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of a bedstead with the supporting structur of this invention secured thereon, the view being taken on the line l0--l0 in Figure 1, and

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 10, the view being taken from the line i l-ll in Figure 10.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings and throughout the specification.

Referring now to these drawings in detail, which drawings represent one preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral l2 designates the upper-portion of the head of a bedstead wherewith this invention is adapted to be used and the clamp members bestillustrated in Figures 1, 10 and 11 are adapted to secure this invention to this bedstead |2. It will be understood that the particular type of attaching devicefor this invention will necessarily require alteration to adapt the same for use with difierent types of bedsteads, the bedstead represented in the drawings including vertical panels 14, as represented in Figure 11, which panels are often provided in spaced relation between the vertical bar elements 12 and the illustrated bracket has been adapted to be used with this type of bedstead. A rigid strap member l6 of a length suiiicient to abut two adjacent vertical bar members I2, on the inner side of the head of a bedstead, is drilled and tapped to receive set screws 16 which secure simple bracket members 20 adapted to contact the other side of the vertical bar members 12 and to hold the bracket assembly firmly thereon. A clip member 22, tightenable by a T-bolt 24 is rigidly secured to an attachment plate 26, and this plate is secured in spaced relation to the rigid strap member 16, by means of stud screws 28 and spacer blocks 30. A somewhat similar bracket member, generally indicated b the numeral 3|, is secured in spaced relation to the bracket member described immediately above in order that the depending portion 32 of the supporting arm may be satisfactorily supported in vertical position, this second bracket member 3} may have the portion 22 not split as shown in Figure 10 and the tightening bolt 24 is deleted from this second lower bracket member 3|. Two collar members 34 and 36, equipped with clamping bolts 38, are secured to the member 32 at the lower end thereof and at the upper end thereof to limit th ad other suitable means.

Justment of the member 32 within the clamping members described above, thus preventing the inadvertent detachment of the device by either a patient or an attendant. The portion 40 of the supporting arm is centrally drilled to receive the end 42 of an L-member 44, the outer end of which is secured to the U-frame 46 and the inner end of which is adapted to be clamped to the member 40 by means of a thumb screw 48 mounted on the member 42 and projecting through a longitudinally disposed slot 50 in the member 40, and ti-ghtenable on this member to preserve these telescoping members together and allow the adjustment thereof. A pivot bearing 52 of conventional design is used to secure the U-frame 46 to the outer end of the member 44, and the ends of the arms 54 of this U-frame have rigidly secured thereto a disk 56. These disks B frictionally contact the disk portions 58 of the flanged attachment members 60 which are secured to the table member 62 by screws or rivets 64, or by any A sleeve 66 is secured to each of the arms 54 of the U-frame, and a cap bearing member I58, apertured to receive a bolt which is rigidly mounted to the attachment member 60 and adapted to function as an axle or journal, completes this hearing structure, the caps 68 being held in place by the nuts I2, as shown in Figure 1. A spring 74 is enclosed and compressed between the inside of each cap 68 and the outsides of the members 54 and within the sleeve member 66, to urge the plates 58 into frictional engagement with the disks 50 and this frictional engagement will be suflicient to retain the table 62 in any given position. But, in the interest of safety, and in order to make it possible to place relatively heavy books and other articles upon the table 02, a, locking device comprising a locking pin I6, mounted and spring loaded as shown at 18 on the side of the member 54, is adapted to be insertable through apertures provided therefor in the member 54 and the disk 56 and selectivel insertable into spaced apertures provided in the disk 58, the pin 16 being, of course, retractible to facilitate the rotation of the table 62 into a preferred position and when released this pin I6 will prevent relative rotation between the disks 56 and 58.

The table 62 is provided with a shelf 80 which will preferably be constructed of metal and provided with an integral right angularly disposed flange secured to said table by the rivet members 82. This shelf has a marginal lift 84 and may be incorporated with a plurality of spring clip members 86 adapted to grasp and retain the covers of a thick book or the leaves of a thin book placed upon the table and opened, with the center of the book disposed substantially along the central axis of the table, this positioning of a book allowing the arm 88 to be placed centrally on top of th book, and the strap members 90 and 92 to be placed on top of the two sections of this boo-k to hold the same rigidly in position yet allowing the leaves to be conveniently turned and held. The arm 88 is mounted by a pivot pin 94 terminally secured to a U-shaped bracket 96, and spring loaded into the down position by a spring 98 which has one end secured to the bracket as at I00 and the other end offset and engaging the arm 88 as at I02, this structure being clearly shown in Figures 3 and 8. The bracket 96 is secured by a bolt I04 to an attachment plate I06, which in turn is secured by rivets or screws I08 to the table member 62, centrally thereof on the side opposite to the spring clips 86.

The strap members 90 and 92 are similar and are secured by bolts M0 to the table 02 and at the sides thereof adjacent the shelf 80. Coiled springs H2 are compressed between the undersurface of each strap member and the nut II4 used in attaching the bolt H0 to the table 62, and it should be noted that the inner ends of these strap members are preferably constructed of resilient material and provided with clip means to engage the outer edges ofa newspaper or magazine when these ends are extended laterally of the table 82, these spring clip members may take the form as shown in the drawings and comprise simple curved hook portions I I5, as illustrated in Figure 6.

With the foregoing description of the mechanical details of this invention in view, the method of operation will be obvious, but it may be noted that the material placed on the table may be loosely retained thereon by the shelf 80, but when textual material is used the devices secured to the table are adapted to hold this material in a very satisfactory manner. Many and various minor modifications in the actual structure of the parts of this invention and the proportioning of the various parts thereof may be resorted to, all within the spirit and scope of this invention and though there has been shown a particular embodiment of this invention, this application is not limited to this particular embodiment, but it is desired to include in the scope of this invention the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: w

1. In a device of the character described, means for holding an opened book, including a table, frictional bearing means for mounting said table in an inclined position on a supporting arm, a bracket rigidly secured to one edge portion of said table, a spring biased arm pivotally mounted on said bracket and shiftable in a plane normal to said table to grasp said opened book superficially along a line at-the center thereof, strap members pivotally secured to the table on either side of said arm and shiftable in planes normal to and parallel to said table to superficially contact each side of said opened book, and clips secured to an opposite edge portion of said table to grasp the lower edges of the leaves or cover of said book, said strap members having terminally disposed spring clips adapted for grasping the edges of a larger book or paper when said straps are swung outwardly beyond the lateral edges of said table.

2. In a device of the character described, means for holding an opened book, including a table, frictional bearing means for mounting said table in an inclined position on a supporting arm, a bracket rigidly secured to one edge portion of said table, a spring biased arm pivotally mounted on said bracket and shiftable in a plane normal to said table to grasp said opened book superficially along a line at the center thereof, strap members pivotally secured to the table on either side of said arm and shiftable in planes normal to and parallel to said table to superficially contact each side of said opened book, and clips secured to an opposite edge portion of said table to grasp the lower edges of the: leaves or cover of said book, said strapmembers having terminally disposed spring clips adapted for grasping the edges of a larger book or paper when said straps are swung outwardly beyond the lateral edges of Number Name Date said table, said terminally disposed clips being 1,299,374 Miller Apr. 1, 1919 outwardly disposed returned end portions of the 1,559,431 Hogsett Oct. 2'7, 1925 straps. I 1,564,113 Rauhofer Dec. 1, 1925 ALBERT G. BLUMENSTOCK. 5 1,590,726 Corsgren June 29, 1926 1,692,337 Forbes Nov. 20, 1928 REFERENCES CITED 2,333,376 Hopkins Nov. 2, 1943 The following references are of record in the FOREIGN PATENTS fileof this patent: V 10 Number I Country Date Um STATES PA'I'ENTS 66,033 Switzerland May 13, 1913 Number Name Date 419,316 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1934 1,083,764 Smith Jan. 6, 1914 

